Jinan Food

As the political, economic and cultural centre of Shandong Province, Jinan has a long history of catering culture as well. Shandong Cuisine became the representative of "North-food" after the Song Dynasty. During Ming and Qing periods, Shandong Cuisine became the main palace food, and its influence greatly spread to Beijing, Tianjin and the northeast area and known as one of the eight traditional Chinese Cuisines. Shandong cuisine is characterized by the fresh tender full-bodied flavor, and being particular about the broth modulation. Jinan City is the birthplace of the Jinan dishes. It specializes in frying and baking with the taste more salty than other places.

Jinan Featured Food:

Large Intestine Of Nine Turns Pig

The Nine Turns Pig's Large Intestine was invented by Jiu Hua Restaurant during the time of Emperor Gangue's reign in the Qing Dynasty. The owner of the Jiu Hua Restaurant was a rich merchant with the family name "Du". He owned a lot of shops in Jinan City, whose names all began with"Jiu".The restaurant was famous for cooking pork dishes, especially the"Nine Turns Pig's Large Intestine"which was braised with right seasonings. The seasonings include rare traditional Chinese medicine: amomum fruit, cardamon, and Chinese cinnamon, scallion, ginger, white sugar, soy sauce, and salt, cooking oil, and cooking wine. After the dish was done, a faint scent usually greeted the guests since chopped caraways were scattered over the bright reddish colored intestines. Fat but not greasy, the guests often had a long aftertaste over the large intestines. Once, after tasting the delicious dish, a guest named the dish"Nine Turns Pig's Large Intes

Xin Xin Sa Porridge

With a long history of over 2,400 years, Sa porridge has been recorded in many historical documents, such as "Sa porridge can be the best food for those without eating for seven days，"in"The collection of Stories and Speeches". Sa is a porridge which is exquisitely made of chicken or other animal meat, wheat pip, medical materials and other condiments.

As a nutriment and health food, Sa porridge boasts a large variety due to different cooking methods. With different ingredients, Sa porridges are adaptable for different tastes. Only having the porridge while it' hot, the rich fragrance of Sa can be enjoyed. Sa porridges have the flavors of hot, spicy, aromatic and salty. They usually go with the following staple foods: youtiao (a kind of fried sticks made of dough), sesame seed cakes, seed cakes and thick pan-cakes. Having Sa porridges a lot can help build up the body and prolong one's life.

Zhangqiu Roast Pork

Legend has it that Zhangqiu Roast Pork was invented by the Huang Family during the late period of Ming Dynasty. The roast pork distinguishes itself for the crisp skin, tender meat and faint scent, which tastes fat but not greasy. Method: Do not cut it into pieces or chop it after the pig is killed. Eviscerate the pig and remove its main bones and clean it. Grind pepper, salt, and various spices: star anise, cumin, amomum fruit, cardamom and tsaoko fruit into powder. Rub the power into the inside of the pig and put it into the pit of two-meter-deep. Fill the pit with broomcorn stalks or twigs of fruit trees. Light the stalks or twigs and burn the pig until its skin is black. Take the pig out and scrape the burnt skin with a knife. Put the pig into the pit and burn it again. Then scrape and burn the pig for two times. Take the well-done pig out of the pit, scrape the burnt skin and expose the light yellow skin. With the crisp thin skin, the pork tastes really delicious and

Caobao Stuffed Buns

Caobao Baozi Shop is located in the Pu Li Street. Legend has it that a restaurant of Luo Kou Town employed a lad as shop assistant. The lad seemed foolish and incompetent so he was called“Caobao”（means：Blockhead）. He was assigned to do unskilled work, such as making Baozi (the stuffed buns). Actually he was not only kind and simple hearted but also astute and capable. So the Baozi he made was delicious and soon became quite known. Later on, he opened his own restaurant selling Baozi exclusively. The restaurant was named“Caobao Baozi Shop”.

Spiral Cake Fried In Pure Cooking Oil

The spiral cake is fried in peanut oil also called pure cooking oil not in animal oil. “Spiral” is the unique shape the cake takes. Developed on the basis of rolled noodles, it is a finely-made flour food. Method: Extend the rolled noodles as thin as silver threads. Roll the threads into a round-shaped cake. Half-fry and half-bake the cake in the cooking oil until it is well done. Draw the cake from its central part and make it spread over the plate. Finally scatter shredded red and green candied fruits and white sugar over the cake. The equally-sized threads of the cake are golden yellow. As a famous nosh at the banquet, the cake tastes crisp outside, tender inside, sweet and refreshing.